Annual Running Costs for a Split System – Air Conditioning Perth | Kitchener ON

The air conditioners market is very varied, from split systems to ducted systems through to heat pumps and even old-fashioned window units. This article will present the running costs of a typical split system air conditioner (the most common form of air conditioning in Australia).

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Over the years, air conditioning systems have grown to become a must-have in every household. With the rise of temperature in Australia and an increasing number of people suffering from heatstroke or heat exhaustion, it is no longer optional for residents to own an air conditioner.  Dacs Air Conditioning & Electrical are your local company who have all the various options for you to choose from.

Ask any Perth resident what they wish for during the Summer months and most will reply with “cooler weather”. Air-conditioning has become a necessity in most of Australia, and in Perth, it is no exception. Because like in most other cities around the world, Perth experiences hot dry weather during the Summer months that can cause substantial discomfort to someone who is not well-equipped with proper air-conditioning.

How Much Does It Cost To Run?

The cost of running an air conditioner depends on many factors: size, ambient temperature and humidity, running hours, and whether it is set at either a cooling or heating mode. The overall energy consumption for cooling is much higher than for heating so the AC unit will tend to use more power when cooling as opposed to when it is running in heating mode. However, this does vary depending on your specific model of air conditioning device which may not be true across all brands or makes available on market today. In the case of heating, ducted systems tend to be more efficient than split systems.  If you would like to speak to someone about the costs, give Dacs a call, your local air conditioning company in Como

How much will it cost me to run my air conditioner?

The answer is an estimate based on a set figure of $0.3896 per kWh used over a period of 10 hours. However this can vary depending on what temperature you have your AC unit set at, and whether or not you have other appliances running in conjunction with the air conditioner. Keep in mind that if you are on a fixed tariff (Eg: Time-of-use) then your daily average usage can affect the total cost because electricity prices change according to peak and off-peak times. Choosing to run your air conditioning device during off-peak hours could reduce your overall running costs.

Does Size Matter?

The size of your air conditioner will play a major role in how much it runs and how long the air conditioner can last. Air conditioning capacity is measured in terms of power rating, or kW – which refers to the maximum electricity consumption by an appliance over a specified period of time. A smaller air conditioner unit generally has a capacity closer to 200W. While larger units are closer to 9000W or 13000W, with some reaching even higher capacities such as 18000 watts. Although there are units that can reach about 26000 watts and more!

How many hours will my AC run?

If you have determined that you need an air conditioning unit for your home then one of the most important questions you must ask is how many hours a day will it be used? In addition to this question, it is also worth considering at what temperature setting the air conditioner will run, and whether it will have any effect on the overall running costs.

As mentioned earlier, a unit that has been set at cooling mode instead of heating mode uses significantly more power than one that is running in heating mode. This means that even if you were to use your AC for 8 hours straight per day during Summer, using an air conditioning device set in cooling mode would not allow the same energy savings as compared to one set in heating mode despite being run for the same period of time.

Furthermore, generally speaking, devices with higher capacities consume more energy in comparison to smaller ones. If you were to compare a 9000W air conditioning system with a 200W one, there would be a significant difference in energy consumption considering that they are of a similar model and set at the same temperature setting.

In order to determine how much power your air conditioner consumes, you need to do a rough calculation based on its power rating and how long it will run for.  If you would like help in determining costs, speak to Dacs or use the example below.

Here is an example:

If your air conditioner has a 13000W capacity and is set at 25 degrees Celsius, then it will consume approximately 2160kWh of energy per year. Given that this capacity has a power rating of 13000 watts, we need to convert it into kilowatts before being able to do any further calculations.

Using the calculator below this is how you can convert watts into kilowatts:

– 13000 divided by 1000 = 13.3

In this case, we are assuming that the air conditioner is set at a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius. The reason for this is because generally if your temperature settings are below or above 25 degrees, then you will draw more energy than you would if it was being used at this temperature.

This means that by setting your air conditioning device to 25 degrees Celsius means that your energy consumption will be at its lowest.  Want to know more?  Contact the Team at Dacs Air Conditioning Perth today, find out what you can save.